Mouse Traps

Liu Zhang had a fundamental sense of distrust for Zhang Lu, one of the most powerful members within Yi Province. However, Li Xian, who had displayed more character as a ruler now that he was in Liu Zhang's body had greatly eroded Zhang Lu's support.

Words had previously been spread around that there were intentions to replace Liu Zhang with Zhang Lu as the Governor of Yi Province. However, such talks have now been laughed off as mere nonsense. Zhang Lu, however, in the future, fled to Hanzhong, where he seized power. Hanzhong was a strategically important position and with two gates which guarded it against the front and rear and impassable mountains around it, Hanzhong was a fortress.

"And why will you be against it, dear sir?" Li Xian asked and Zhang Lu puffed out his chest, his fingers twirling his short black moustache above his lips, his lips curling into a crude snide as he replied pompously.

"When your father took over this city, he had to come to blows with the merchant families in the city which helped him take control of Yi Province. However, they later had to be killed because they grew too powerful. What if the soldiers plot a coup and band together?"

Zhang Lu's points made a few generals mutter in concern as they discussed amongst each other. Even in modern history, when the core supporters of the nation grew too powerful, it was likely for them to replace with someone who will support him instead.

"My dear Zhang Lu, I am not saying that we should award a piece of land for every arbitrary deed done in the line of duty but for those that go above and beyond. I already plan to increase the salary of the soldiers-"

"My lord, I urge you not to. A dog needs to be kept a bit hungry in order for it to keep on following orders." Zhang Lu replied, cutting off the lord. Some of the more intelligent generals gasped as he did so.

Cutting off your own lord in a conversation was a big sign of disrespect, no matter the argument.

The jolly atmosphere of the banquet had turned chilly, with the generals eyeing Zhang Lu and then back at Li Xian. Some coughed awkwardly and made talk amongst themselves but most were observing this.

"Zhang Lu, do you know what is my role, as mandated by the Son of Heaven?" Li Xian asked and Zhang Lu replied, "To serve the Mandate of the Heaven, the Han Dynasty."

"And whom does the Han Dynasty serve?"

Before Zhang Lu can reply, Li Xian cut him off first.

"They serve the people. We, serve the people. If the people deem us unworthy, they can have our heads hanging from the door of this banquet hall. Have the Yellow Turban Rebellion not taught you anything my dear sir?"

Zhang Lu looked to retort but Li Xian pressed on.

"The Azure Sky is already dead; the Yellow Sky will soon rise. When the year is Jiazi, there will be prosperity under Heaven! Do you remember this slogan, Zhang Lu? How many commoners who only wanted food and medicine joined their armies?"

"Do you remember how hard He Jin and Huangfu Song fought to contain it?"

As Li Xian's shouting ceased, there was silence upon the room where Zhang Lu looked at the floor and sighed deeply, before drinking from the alcohol.

With nothing left to say, Yan Yan hurriedly proposed a toast to celebrate the great harvest in the city of Chengdu and Hanzhong.

"Wait, you saw the numbers already?" Li Xian asked, confused, even as he joined in the toast.

Yan Yan roared with laughter, his booming voice joined by many others.

"My lord, it is not a number that you will frown at, I assure you. The people of Yi Province will have plenty to eat and plenty more in the next season. Zhang Song probably wouldn't have come to this event even if you asked him to. He is too busy counting coins and grain." Huang Quan replied, provoking more laughter from the people around him.

"Oh? I have been told the numbers are not ready?" Li Xian said, puzzled and Yan Yan replied on Huang Quan's behalf.

"We saw the numbers as it is getting prepared. You should see Fa Zheng running around the farms with his men to get the numbers. We can see it a li away."

As the men drank and feasted, Zhang Lu eyed Liu Zhang, his anger boiling within him.

"I was right... It is either him or me..."

Through the night, Li Xian chatted with his generals and implied for them to recommend men of talent into the administration. To the generals, getting to speak so frankly with their leader was refreshing.

The next day, however, Li Xian had a great headache from drinking too much while Fa Zheng seemed to ignore this and began presenting the numbers.